Human body massaging apparatus

ABSTRACT

A human body massaging apparatus has an inflexible, body contacting cylindrical roller, rotatably mounted on a left and a right handgrip, so that the apparatus may be rolled over a human body to produce a massaging action. The handgrips are cylindrical in shape and of the same diameter as the body contacting, cylindrical roller, permitting the handgrips and the cylindrical roller to contact the human body simultaneously. Hands are easily slid back and forth between the same size roller and handles for alternately braking the roller and permitting it to roll, thereby intermittently stretching the skin. A cylindrical roller is composed of two half sections of cylindrical shape, attached to each other by a flexible shaft so that the half sections are capable of rotating independently of each other. This construction allows the cylindrical roller to be turned around contours of the human body.

United States Patent [191 Ching 1 1 Jan.7, 1975 1 HUMAN BODY MASSAGING APPARATUS James F. Ching, 2938 Pale Hwy., Honolulu, Hawaii 96817 [22] Filed: Aug. 23, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 390,774

[76] Inventor:

Primary Examiner-Lawrence W. Trapp Attorney, Agent, or FirmJames C. Wray [57] ABSTRACT A human body massaging apparatus has an inflexible, body contacting cylindrical roller, rotatably mounted on a left and a right handgrip, so that the apparatus may be rolled over a human body to produce a massaging action. The handgrips are cylindrical in shape and of the same diameter as the body contacting, cylindrical roller, permitting the handgrips and the cylindrical roller to contact the human body simultaneously. Hands are easily slid back and forth between the same size roller and handles for alternately braking the roller and permitting it to roll, thereby intermittently stretching the skin. A cylindrical roller is composed of two half sections of cylindrical shape, attached to each other by a flexible shaft so that the half sections are capable of rotating independently of each other. This construction allows the cylindrical roller to be turned around contours of the human body.

7 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures Patented Jan. 7, 1975 3,8585% 2 Sheets-Sheet l Patented Jan. 7, 1975 3,858,579

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 5

2 M if FIG. 7

HUMAN BODY MASSAGING APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention described herein concerns improvements in human or animal body massaging devices, which devices manually are drawn across the surface of the bodies. Conventional systems for body massage employ spring loaded, ridged rolling assemblies and roller devices designed to be manipulated with one hand. It is the object of the invention to provide a massaging device with superior massaging and handling characteristics.

Prior massaging devices have employed rolling elements with circular ridges on the roller surface. In one conventional device, the rolling element is composed of two circular discs connected at their axes of rotation by a spring. The device is manipulated by two handles of small diameter which are rotatably mounted to the circular discs. The handles are not designed to contact the body.

In a similar conventional device, the rolling element has a corrugated rolling surface supported by a plurality of annular springs. A shaft passing through the rolling structure is supported by small handles which do not contact the surface of the body being massaged.

A known invention employs a hollow cylindrical roller filled with refreezant as a cosmetic device. The device is of relatively small dimensions and is intended to be held and manipulated with one hand.

A collection of devices of the type known in the prior art is found in the Official U.S. Patent Office Classification of Patents, particularly in Class 128, subclasses 25, 26, 3l, 44 and 57 and Class 272, subclass 57.

Examples of such devices are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,461,413, 2,787,261 and 3,616,794.

A need exists for a simple and inexpensive body massaging apparatus which can be manipulated with body hands. The body massaging apparatus must respond well to body contours and have good massaging characteristics.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention disclosed herein is an apparatus for massaging human or animal bodies, consisting of an inflexible cylindrical roller rotatably mounted to left and right handgrips so that the roller is free to rotate about its principal axis of rotation when the handgrips are held stationary and so that hands may be moved to engage the handgrips and roller to brake the roller against rotation.

In one configuration, the handgrips are cylinders mounted with their axes of rotation colinear to the axis of rotation of the roller. In one embodiment the cylindrical handgrips are of a diameter smaller than that of the roller. This construction permits the roller to be drawn across the body without the handles contacting the body.

In the preferred embodiment, the cylindrical handgrips are of a diameter equal to that of the roller. When this design is used, the roller and handgrips may be fabricated from the same cylindrical stock. Several advantages accrue from the use of a cocircular handgrip and roller. First, the hands holding the handgrips are in a position to retard the rotation of the cylindrical roller or to contact the body to provide skin stretching and added massaging action. Secondly, the cocircular handgrips can be used as an extra pair of stationary rollers.

In another preferred embodiment, the cylindrical roller is formed of two cylindrical half sections rotatably connected by a flexible shaft. This construction permits the roller halves to rotate at different rates about differ ent axes as they are passed across the body being massaged. It also permits the roller to be bent along its center to respond to body contours.

In another embodiment, the central shaft is a foursided inflexible rod connecting two cylindrical sections. The rod is stationary and is not rotatable. Its purpose is to elongate the cylindrical roller so as to permit its use in back of the neck, shoulders, buttocks and back of the legs. The shorter length is for the purpose of massaging the head, front and back and the thighs, shins, and feet, where the longer length would be cumber some. The four-sided inflexible rod would be removable, and the handles would be removable, as it is contemplated that the two half sections are interchangeable. If a person wants to use the short length, he installs two handles; if he wants to use the long length, he places the four-sided inflexible rod in the center of the two half-lengths and moves the displaced handle to the end.

The rod is anchored in a first cylindrical half section and is removable from the second section. A similar rod is mounted through a first handle attached to the first section. The first handle can be removed from the first section and can be attached to the second section, so that the second section with first and second handles fonns a short roller. When both sections are assembled, a long roller is created from the pieces used in the short roller, plus the first section and central rod.

The body massaging device is to be made in several configurations with a variety of cylindrical roller lengths, so that a roller of proper length is available for each massaging function. Of particular value is a configuration wherein the length of each of the cylindrical handgrips is equal to half the length of the cylindrical roller.

In a preferred embodiment, the handgrips are mounted to the cylindrical roller by mounting screws or pins which pass through apertures in the handgrips. The aperture in the handgrip is drilled centrally along the principal axis of rotation of the handgrip. The aperture is large enough so that the shank portion of the mounting screws or pin can move freely within the aperture. A head portion of the screw or pin is formed larger than the aperture in the handgrip so that the handgrip is retained in position on the shank portion of the pin or screw. In one form the head of the pin or screw is chrome plated.

These and other objects and features of the invention are apparent from the disclosure, which includes the foregoing and ongoing specification with the claims and which includes the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front elevation of a body massaging apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front elevation of a body massaging apparatus of the present invention with specifically proportioned handgrips and roller element.

FIG. 3 is a front elevation of a body massaging apparatus of the present invention with individually formed roller halves.

FIG. 4 is a perspective schematic representation of a method of handgrip attachment.

FIG. 5 is a front elevation of the body massaging apparatus of the present invention showing handgrip attachment with mounting pins.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a mounting pin employed in the preferred embodiment of the present invention depicted in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a front elevation of a body massaging apparatus of the present invention with cylindrical handgrips of a diameter smaller than the diameter of the roller.

FIG. 8 is a side elevation of the body massaging apparatus depicted in FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring to FIG. 1, a body massaging apparatus is denoted generally by the numeral 1. A cylindrical roller element 3 is rotatably mounted to a right and a left, cocircular, coaxial handgrip of a preferred embodiment, denoted by the numerals 2 and 5 respectively. The handgrips are held in place by mounting screws with their shank portions 6 passing through concentric apertures 9 in the handgrips. The apertures are centered on the principal axis of rotation of the handgrips and roller. Screw heads 7 are formed larger than the apertures in the handgrips so that the handgrips cannot slip off of the shank of the screw. The gap between the handgrips and the roller is indicated by the numeral 10.

FIG. 2 shows a body massaging roller where the length of a cylindrical handgrip is equal to one half of the length of the roller cylinder. This is one of the most useful ratios of roller length to handgrip length.

By placing the hands atop the rollers the entire lower surface works on the body. The stationary handgrips stretch skin while the central portion rolls. The opposite case is true when one grips the center roller and lets the handgrips roll. One end of the roller may be gripped for special apoplications.

FIG. 3 shows a body massaging roller of a preferred configuration wherein the cylindrical roller is divided into two cylindrical roller sections along the center line 12. The two roller sections are rotatably connected together by a flexible pin 15. The flexible pin is attached to both roller sections at points along the principal axis of rotation of the roller sections. When fabricated in this configuration, the roller sections are free to rotate independently of one another about different axes.

FIG. 4 is a perspective schematic view of the sequence for assembling the handle structure of the body massaging apparatus. A mounting screw 7 is inserted through aperture 9 and is driven into the cylindrical roller element 3.

FIG. 5 is a front elevation of a body massaging apparatus assembled in an alternate manner. Mounting pins 22 are passed through apertures in the cylindrical handgrips 29 and are imbedded in the roller 20.

FIg. 6 is a perspective view of a mounting pin 22 of the type used to fasten the handgrips to the roller in FIG. 5. The mounting pins shank portion 26 is of such a diameter that it will pass freely through the aperture in the handgrip. The head 24 is of sufficiently large diameter that the handgrip cannot slip off of the mounting pin. A squared, end portion 28 is embedded in the roller.

FIG. 7 is a front elevation of a body massaging apparatus wherein the cylindrical handgrips 39 are of a smaller diameter than the diameter of the roller 30. A mounting pin or screw 32 has a plated head 34.

FIG. 8 is a side elevation of the body massaging apparatus of FIG. 7. The cylindrical handgrip 39 is coaxially mounted on the mounting pin or screw 32 which is anchored to the roller 30. A plated pin or screw head 34 retains the handgrip on the shank of the pin'or screw.

While the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, it will be obvious that modifications and variations may be constructed without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The scope of the invention is described in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A human body massaging apparatus comprising a human body contacting inflexible, cylindrical roller element, having a smooth elongated inflexible and rigid cylindrical outer surface, and having left and right cir-.

cular faces rectangularly oriented at longitudinal ends of the cylindrical outer surface, left and right handgrips rotatably mounted at left and right circular faces of the cylindrical roller element, respectively, so that the cylindrical roller element is free to rotate about its principal axis of rotation when the left and right handgrips are held stationary, whereby the human body is massaged by grasping the handgrips and rolling the cylindrical roller element over the human body.

2. The body massaging apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cylindrical roller element is further comprised of a left cylindrical roller section with its right circular face rotatably mounted against the left circular face of a right cylindrical roller section so that the left and right cylindrical roller sections are free to rotate independently of each other about a common principal axis of rotation.

3. The body massaging apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cylindrical roller element is rotatably mounted to the left and right handgrips by mounting screws, wherein the mounting screws pass through each of the left and right handgrips by means of central apertures in the left and right handgrips of a diameter larger than a shank portion of the mounting screws but smaller than a head portion of the mounting screws and wherein the mounting screws are driven into the cylindrical roller element so that the head portions of the mounting screws retain the left and right handgrips on the shanks of the mounting screws.

4. The body massaging apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cylindrical roller element is rotatably mounted to the left and right handgrips by mounting pins, wherein one mounting pin passes through each of the left and right handgrips by means of central apertures in each of the left and right handgrips of a diameter larger than a shank portion of the mounting pins but smaller than a head portion of the'mounting pins, and wherein the mounting pins are anchored in the cylindrical roller element so that the head portions of the mounting pins retain the left and right handgrips on the shanks of the mounting pins.

5. A human body massaging apparatus comprising a human body contacting inflexible, cylindrical roller element, left and right handgrips rotatably mounted at left and right circular faces of the cylindrical roller element, respectively, so that the cylindrical roller element is free to rotate about its principal axis of rotation when the left and right handgrips are held stationary, wherein the length of the cylindrical roller element,

measured along the cylindrical roller elements principal axis of rotation, is equal to the sum of the lengths of the left and right handgrip cylinders measured along the left and right handgrip cylinders principal axes of rotation, whereby the human body is massaged by grasping the handgrips and rolling the cylindrical roller element over the human body.

6. A human body massaging apparatus comprising a human body contacting inflexible, cylindrical roller element, left and right handgrips rotatably mounted at left and right circular faces of the cylindrical roller element, respectively, so that the cylindrical roller element is free to rotate about its principal axis of rotation when the left and right handgrips are held stationary, wherein the left cylindrical roller section is rotatably mounted to the right cylindrical roller section by a flexible shaft, permitting the left and right cylindrical roller sections to rotate independently of each other about nonparallel axes of rotation, whereby the human body is massaged by grasping the handgrips and rolling the cylindrical roller element over the human body.

7. A human body massaging apparatus comprising a human body contacting inflexible, cylindrical roller element, left and right handgrips rotatably mounted at left and right circular faces of the cylindrical roller element, respectively, so that the cylindrical roller element is free to rotate about its principal axis of rotation when the left and right handgrips are held stationary, wherein the left and right handgrips are cylinders of the same diameter as the cylindrical roller element and are mounted close to the roller element and so that the principal axis of rotation of the cylindrical roller element and principal axis of rotation of the left and right handgrip cylinders are colinear, whereby thehuman body is massaged by grasping the handgrips and rolling the cylindrical roller element over the human body.

l l =l= 

1. A human body massaging apparatus comprising a human body contacting inflexible, cylindrical roller element, having a smooth elonGated inflexible and rigid cylindrical outer surface, and having left and right circular faces rectangularly oriented at longitudinal ends of the cylindrical outer surface, left and right handgrips rotatably mounted at left and right circular faces of the cylindrical roller element, respectively, so that the cylindrical roller element is free to rotate about its principal axis of rotation when the left and right handgrips are held stationary, whereby the human body is massaged by grasping the handgrips and rolling the cylindrical roller element over the human body.
 2. The body massaging apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cylindrical roller element is further comprised of a left cylindrical roller section with its right circular face rotatably mounted against the left circular face of a right cylindrical roller section so that the left and right cylindrical roller sections are free to rotate independently of each other about a common principal axis of rotation.
 3. The body massaging apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cylindrical roller element is rotatably mounted to the left and right handgrips by mounting screws, wherein the mounting screws pass through each of the left and right handgrips by means of central apertures in the left and right handgrips of a diameter larger than a shank portion of the mounting screws but smaller than a head portion of the mounting screws and wherein the mounting screws are driven into the cylindrical roller element so that the head portions of the mounting screws retain the left and right handgrips on the shanks of the mounting screws.
 4. The body massaging apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cylindrical roller element is rotatably mounted to the left and right handgrips by mounting pins, wherein one mounting pin passes through each of the left and right handgrips by means of central apertures in each of the left and right handgrips of a diameter larger than a shank portion of the mounting pins but smaller than a head portion of the mounting pins, and wherein the mounting pins are anchored in the cylindrical roller element so that the head portions of the mounting pins retain the left and right handgrips on the shanks of the mounting pins.
 5. A human body massaging apparatus comprising a human body contacting inflexible, cylindrical roller element, left and right handgrips rotatably mounted at left and right circular faces of the cylindrical roller element, respectively, so that the cylindrical roller element is free to rotate about its principal axis of rotation when the left and right handgrips are held stationary, wherein the length of the cylindrical roller element, measured along the cylindrical roller element''s principal axis of rotation, is equal to the sum of the lengths of the left and right handgrip cylinders measured along the left and right handgrip cylinders'' principal axes of rotation, whereby the human body is massaged by grasping the handgrips and rolling the cylindrical roller element over the human body.
 6. A human body massaging apparatus comprising a human body contacting inflexible, cylindrical roller element, left and right handgrips rotatably mounted at left and right circular faces of the cylindrical roller element, respectively, so that the cylindrical roller element is free to rotate about its principal axis of rotation when the left and right handgrips are held stationary, wherein the left cylindrical roller section is rotatably mounted to the right cylindrical roller section by a flexible shaft, permitting the left and right cylindrical roller sections to rotate independently of each other about nonparallel axes of rotation, whereby the human body is massaged by grasping the handgrips and rolling the cylindrical roller element over the human body.
 7. A human body massaging apparatus comprising a human body contacting inflexible, cylindrical roller element, left and right handgrips rotatably mounted at left and right circular faces of the cylindrical roller element, respectively, so that the cYlindrical roller element is free to rotate about its principal axis of rotation when the left and right handgrips are held stationary, wherein the left and right handgrips are cylinders of the same diameter as the cylindrical roller element and are mounted close to the roller element and so that the principal axis of rotation of the cylindrical roller element and principal axis of rotation of the left and right handgrip cylinders are colinear, whereby the human body is massaged by grasping the handgrips and rolling the cylindrical roller element over the human body. 